Ajatar and the Hunter

This is the story about how the best of intentions can lead to devastating results. At the time, the hunter was finding that there were not enough animals to feed his family or to produce clothes to keep them warm in the bitter cold. He went to the stone-cup where offerings were left to the daughter of the Northland to ask her for her favour and bountiful hunting.

At the stone-cup he carefully placed a silver coin into a hole in the stone, followed by some sweet cakes into another. Finally, he dropped to his knees and began to sing a song asking for the favour of the Northland daughter and help to support his family. As the last note of his song faded into the cold air, he glanced up and saw that the Northland daughter was pleased with his offerings. Hardly daring to look, the hunter kept his gaze fixed on the cold, frozen, ground.

The Northern daughter looked over the hunter and from her sleeve she extracted a red thread, which she then twisted against her face. When she let go on one end of the thread, it fell to the ground and created a bridge made of beautiful redwood.

The bridge would allow many animals to cross over and that would allow the hunter to keep his family and village fully supplied with all the meat and pelts they would need to survive the harsh winters. The hunter was able to hunt hares, bears, moose, deer, and many other types of animals.

Where does the devastation come from you might ask? Well, the bridge was not only a way for the animals to cross over into the Northland; others also found their way across once night fell. In the day time, the animals came providing nourishment for the people, but at night came the things more associated with Ajatar who brings disease and death to the world.

Under the cover of the darkness, came Fire, Frost, Pleurisy, Atrophy, Cancer, Gout, Bitterness, Jealously, and Illness. As these crossed the bridge, they were followed by Worm – the children of Ajatar who would being misery, death, and endless suffering to the world of mortals. All because a hunter wanted to feed his family and made a plea to the Northern daughter.